Stunning quilt art exhibition on display in Mountmellick library

A STUNNING exhibition of quilt art presented by the European Quilt Association featuring hundreds of pieces by quilters from 19 European countries, including Ireland, is currently jumping from the gallery walls in Mountmellick library.

The superb collection titled The European Challenge 2025 Contrast was first displayed in France last September and is journeying around European countries that can house the collection until September 2027, with Mountmellick library being its place of display in Ireland.

Contrast contains 512 pieces and 350 of those are currently blanketing the walls of the three-roomed art gallery and will remain on display to the public until Thursday 25 June.

The display came to be when exhibition co-ordinator Ethelda Ellis Erasmus, who is a founding member of Laois Quilters and a member of the Irish Patchwork Society (IPS), approached international representative for the IPS Mary Hunter to offer her annual slot at the library to the group for an exhibition.

In a pre-launch interview for the Laois Nationalist, both Ethelda and Mary spoke about their craft.

Ethelda said that the first quilt art exhibition at Mountmellick library was a showing of her own quilt art in 2015 before founding Laois Quilters in 2017. She said: “Since then, Laois Quilters bring an exhibition to the library biannually. For the in-between years, we invite others and this year we decided to invite the Irish patchwork Society. Lots of our members are also members of the IPS. I’m delighted that this wonderful exhibition can be here during this month and it’s a privilege to have quilts from all over Europe displayed here in this fantastic venue. Mountmellick is a very central location, making it easier for quilters from all over the country to come and visit the exhibition during the summer time.” Mary said: “The Irish Patchwork Society is a member of the European Quilt Association and is made up of 20 countries. We were one of the founding members back in 1989. Contrast was first displayed at the European Patchwork annual meeting in Alsace, France in September last year and is travelling to be shown in European countries that can house it.

“The Irish Patchwork Society was formed in 1981, so we are celebrating our 45th year this year and Ethelda is a wonderful member of it. We have seven branches around the country and over 640 members. We focus on heritage, teaching and passing on the craft. It’s great to have such a wonderful, spacious venue as Mountmellick library. We are a big tribe and it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to gather together.” On launch night, around 40 people attended the event. Ethelda, who is the exhibition co-ordinator, welcomed everyone and thanked library staff for providing the space for such a huge installation. Ethelda introduced IPS chairperson Mary Bell, who also complimented the library on being an exceptional venue and echoed Ethelda’s thanks and spoke about the exhibition while complimenting everyone who has a piece in it, including the 36 quilters from Ireland.

The chairperson of the European Quilt Association Marleen Vanderschueren flew from Brussels to launch the exhibition, to the delight of everyone.

While opening the installation, Ms Vanderschueren said that she was very happy to be opening the exhibition. She said: “I am very happy to have received an invitation to come to open Contrast in Ireland. It’s the first time that I have been to one of the hosting countries and it’s great to meet the quilters from Ireland. We’re very proud to have 20 member countries of the European Quilt Association and we have a lot of work to do.

“It’s very important that we can show different countries what we do through our traditional art. We have things that are similar and things that are different. We have work from beginners and from people who have been creating quilt art for over 40 years. It’s very important to have a connection between the people who are quilting in Europe because we have a quilters language and unity.” 

 Smiling, Marleen added that ‘‘Europe is as good as the Americans – or better.’’ Following a round of applause and laughs from the audience, Mary Hunter then expressed her thanks to everyone. She thanked Ethelda for giving the IPS the opportunity by giving Laois Quilters her annual exhibition slot at the library, allowing the European Quilters Association to display the Contrast exhibition.

The exhibition features wonderful works from beginners to professional artists and everything in between. Contrast shows cultural and heritage works from Ireland, Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Ukraine, Switzerland, Sweden, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Norway, Iceland, The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Finland and the United Kingdom. The exhibition is well worth visiting during library opening hours before it leaves the country. Mountmellick library can be contacted on 057 8689382.